MUNLING CHEONG
Qualitative & Insight Expert
Summary
A passionate and seasoned qualitative expert for 15+ years in Malaysia and China. I work with brands and professionals across the world as strategic partner to bring true values to consumers, create culture, enable clients as transformative leader that brings real change. I am highly effective at solving various brand and business challenges for clients by optimizing research to obtain relevant insights, as well as proficient in the operational needs and cultivating best practices for growth for companies. With solid account management and team management, leveraging on experience working cross- functional and geographical, I am prepared to leverage close to 20 years of progressive experience to take on new role with long-term potential.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education
4
4
Languages
Work History
Research Consultant
Self-Employed
01.2021 - Current
- Advisory role for research design and as local culture expert (Malaysia, China)
- Lead as qualitative consultant for local and multi-country projects across APAC
- Support clients (moderation, analysis and reporting) on global projects covering UK, US, LATAM
- Collaborated with leadership team to identify relevant questions, determine solutions for client’s business issues and support strategy formulation
- Proposed innovative methods customized for capturing insights.
- Apply various methodologies and approach for insights and solutions (social listening, consumer co-creation, usability tools, cultural and semiotic tools, discourse and narrative analysis, etc)
Group Account Director
Kantar
Shanghai
01.2015 - 12.2019
- Directed account teams to achieve challenging profit targets by strategically evaluating options and implementing optimal solutions.
- Worked effectively with senior-level clients such as executives to build trusting and long-lasting relationships with key accounts. Key accounts include GSK, Mondelez, Philips, etc
- Led portfolio of client partnerships using consultative, forward-thinking approach.
- Increased profit margin through effective supervision of project execution, P&L control of budget and resource planning.
- Interviewed, hired, coached and managed research team of 5-6 researchers including associate director, manager, research executives, project manager
- Led local and multi-country research for SEA, Asia, US and Europe
- Provided and guided clients in developing action plans, including planning for short to mid-term brand growth
- Experienced in mixed methods, e.g Social listening, online forums/boards/FGDs, ethnography (online & offline, self- ethnography, home visits, shadowing, etc), cultural research and semiotic analysis, co-creation workshops, etc
Research Director/Dept Lead
Labbrand Consulting
Shanghai
11.2012 - 01.2015
- Led the MR department including spearheading development of research solutions, building research credentials, develop new clients and grow existing accounts, P&L monitoring and costing system for research projects and team development and management
- Managed the MR department - In charge of team development and competence growth, including development of competence model and appraisal system, sourcing and organizing training programs, etc
- Planned or directed research, development or production activities for both local (China) and multi-country projects which includes SEA (Indonesia, Singapore) Asia (Korea, Japan)
- Worked cross-functionally with other stakeholders to drive company growth with optimal results.
- Advised clients on insight-led recommendation for informed decisions.
- Conducted cultural trend research and semiotic analysis for both local and overseas clients for various projects (e.g packaging design, NPD, brand positioning and strategies formulation, communication development, etc)
- Moderation of FGDs, IDIs, accompanied shopping, ethnography, co-creation workshop, etc.
Account Director
Jigsaw International
Shanghai
01.2012 - 01.2012
- Develop and provide client servicing of both existing and new accounts
- Overall research design, execution and supervision of research deliverables
- Manage a team of 3 researchers
Senior Research Manager
TNS Research International
01.2010 - 01.2012
- Developed qualitative business for key accounts (including 2 top 5 key accounts – Danone and F&N)
- Managed and monitored revenue and profit margins for all qualitative projects of key accounts
- Managed a team of 3 researchers (2 research executives and 1 research assistant)
- Responsible for training and career development of junior executives
- Overall research design and supervision, leading multi-country studies for key accounts
- Moderation of FGDs, IDIs, Accompanied Shopping, Ethnography, Conflict Groups, Co-creation workshop, etc
- Types of study conducted include consumer segmentation, Product & Advertising Evaluation, Co-creation workshop, Market understanding, Packaging Evaluation, Brand Equity Study, Brand Positioning Study, Customer Satisfaction Study, etc
Research Manager
Insight Asia
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Supported the qualitative team to achieve revenue and profit targets by managing client relationships and overall project management, from taking briefs, writing proposals, defining and recommending research design, writing research analyses and reports, presenting research findings to clients and client servicing
- Where and when necessary, to also provide regional project support for our sister companies.
Associate Research Manager
TNS
01.2006 - 01.2008
- In charge of overall project management from proposal preparation; client servicing; inter-departmental coordination; fieldwork moderation, to analysis & interpretation of data; report writing
- Training and mentoring to junior executives, work management and monitoring, etc..
Senior Research Executive
TNS
01.2002 - 01.2004
- Support line manager in project management; client servicing; questionnaire design and report writing
Education
Master of Science - Psychology
09.2020 - 09.2022
Master of Arts - Intercultural Studies
09.2004 - 06.2005
Master of Arts - Economics-Spanish
09.1996 - 06.2000
Skills
Training & Developmentundefined
Examples Of Research Experience
Key Account Management
Dedicated consultant for Mondelez China, responsible for all communication research for Stride, Oreo and Milka . Advisor on Milka’s market entry communication, strategic partner to GSK (Sensodyne barrier conversion, low tier market penetration, master brand stretch, etc)
Cross-functional Collaboration
Develop research offering and collaborate with Strategy, Design and Digital Team on developing brand and digital communication strategy (e.g.
Digital strategy for Four Seasons, Rehau brand strategy and key messaging, etc)
International Research
Work with overseas clients and offices on various brand and communication needs (market entry, NPD, communication development) across industries (GSK, Merz, Abbott, UL, Natura, etc). Lead multi-country research, working with counterparts in other markets for local clients.
Case Studies
KOL Study
Approach : Social listening and crawling, desk research and expert interviews
Outcome : Help client establish a KOL database and guidelines for future development, collaboration an management of KOL for market expansion.
Comm. & Naming Study
Approach : Online quantitative survey (1000 samples, 2 cities), online FGDs (6 FGDs), consumer co creation ALL IN 3 WEEKS
Outcome : Tested existing communication (3mins, 60s, 30s, 15s versions) to come up with recommendation of an optimized 15s version. Generate > 30 potential names along several thematic directions and shortlisted top 3
IPD & Campaign Ideation
Approach : Virtual diary, virtual ideation, co creation workshop
Outcome : Rich consumer stories that helps identifying demand space and meaning of campaign theme. Large amount of creative ideas generated by consumers based on the demand space and campaign theme. Client and creative agencies manage to come up with feasible yet creative product ideas and campaign activation ideas through consumer co-creation workshop.
Brand Strategy
Approach : FGDs, consumer diary
Outcome : Design framework to evaluate best strategy for acquired brands through a bottom up approach, and deliver clear recommendation on Masterbrand strategy, brand positioning and portfolio stretch opportunity
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Research Consultant - Self-Employed
01.2021 - Current
The Open University - Master of Science, Psychology
09.2020 - 09.2022
Group Account Director - Kantar
01.2015 - 12.2019
Research Director/Dept Lead - Labbrand Consulting
11.2012 - 01.2015
Account Director - Jigsaw International
01.2012 - 01.2012
Senior Research Manager - TNS Research International
01.2010 - 01.2012
Research Manager - Insight Asia
01.2009 - 01.2010
Associate Research Manager - TNS
01.2006 - 01.2008
The Chinese University Of Hong Kong - Master of Arts, Intercultural Studies
09.2004 - 06.2005
Senior Research Executive - TNS
01.2002 - 01.2004
University of St. Andrews - Master of Arts, Economics-Spanish
09.1996 - 06.2000
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